Teacher Development

A comprehensive suite of development courses for both novice and experienced teachers in the field of TESOL and CLIL. This vibrant and growing field demands that teaching practitioners in SE Asia are kept up-to-date to ensure their delivery is confident, relevant and effective.

TESOL

The certificate of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages has become the industry standard for entry level teachers of language, and also increasingly of teachers involved in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). With our focus on preparing high-quality courses for teachers, Spencer International offers the Chichester College TESOL certificate in SE Asia for both new and experienced teachers wishing a well-recognised qualification in English language teaching.

This highly-intensive four-week programme covers aspects of pedagogy, language awareness and teaching practice, and is paired with local educational partners to provide a course which is highly relevant to the ASEAN context. Contact us for more information about this course.

TEFL

As English grows in its position as the lingua franca across ASEAN, the number of non-native teachers involved in English language teaching grows, and their impact on the lives of English learners is unquestionable. Recognising the role of these teachers in the language teaching field, Spencer International’s TEFL course focuses specifically on the challenges and needs of this group of educators.

The TEFL course, run in conjunction with Chichester College, UK, offers a highly intensive internationally accredited program for in-service non-native teachers focusing on aspects of English language teaching in the ASEAN region. The success of this course in changing the lives of teachers by increasing their confidence, outlook and beliefs about teaching has been attested by graduates as far back as 2002 in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Currently run twice a year, the course focuses on exposing teachers to new techniques, and widening their teaching repertoire using modern communicative approaches, and blending in-class training with online CyberClass contact with teacher trainers that extends learning opportunities and provides a meaningful way in which teachers can realize their new techniques with the support of their peer group.

Train the trainer/supervisor certification

The high turnover of teachers in schools across ASEAN has lead to a heavy emphasis on entry level qualifications for teachers. Mature and experienced practitioners find it challenging to find ways to maintain developmental momentum or gain fresh inputs, particularly when faced with the challenges of promotion into management or training positions. The Train the Trainer certification, and Supervisor Certification serve to bridge this need, focusing on the specific needs of qualified and experienced personnel.

The Train the Trainer certificate focuses on ways of approaching training and development programmes in any field. The course covers such aspects of presentation and delivery skills, course design and needs analysis and methods of assessment and feedback. Successful graduates of this course have found use for these skills in the aviation industry, team building programmes and in teacher development contexts.

The Supervisor certificate is tailored to the challenges faced with newly appointed middle managers faced with the need to supervise or manage small teams of professionals. The course leads participants through aspects of organisational behaviour, motivation and leadership and materials organisation.

Cultural sensitivity and language courses

Living and working as a professional in an international setting is rewarding, yet challenging is unexpected ways. Long term expatriates are unanimous in their support for learning the ways of the local community, not only upon your arrival, but as an ongoing means of adjusting and settling successfully.

Our cultural sensitivity programme provides a useful introduction to life in Thai or Cambodian contexts and can be supplemented with longer term language learning courses through our local partners. This course, which follows a natural approach made famous by Stephen Krashen, offers not only valuable language input, but an opportunity to find out more about the country, meet fellow expatriates and mingle more confidently with the local population.

Higher-education support

Our team of training professionals are able to provide short or long term guidance for higher educational study options. These are especially popular with distance-learning students who have limited access to professional support from their course providers, and also with international students enrolled in local programmes which may not be providing adequate language or extension opportunities. Our centre provides on-site assistance on Saturdays, when our trainers are available for counselling, and the internet facilities are made available for higher education students in this category.